Analysis of Flashbacks
Through analysis of the flashbacks that occur in the middle of the story when meet John, we can connect Bernard and John to each other, and come to understand how John, a misplaced citizen of the World State, has come to live on a savage reservation in the middle of New Mexico. John the Savage was introduced to us in Chapter 7, but we know little to nothing of him, aside from the fact that he looks distinctly out-of-place amongst the other savages. How he came to literacy and living amongst the less-civilized (in the eyes of the World State), is revealed to us via flashback in the entirety of the chapter. This happens in chapter 8, a chapter dedicated entirely to telling John’s life story, beginning with the moment where Linda refused to be called John’s mother, and ending with his fascination with Shakespeare. Meeting John is easily one of the most important events in the entire novel - without getting to know where he came from or how he was raised, the readers would lack empathy for him and would not grow attached. Flashbacks also allow us to draw changes in characterization for the characters who are affected. By looking at how John changes from boyhood into manhood, we can see exactly how he came to maturity. Growing up, John lacked any real strength. Granted, he was only a child, but when struck by the whip of the village woman, he only cowers: “While he was lying on the ground she hit him three times with the whip. It hurt more than anything he had ever felt--like fire. (126)” This is one of the most pivotal points in John’s life, and the whip he is struck with is a motif representing self-discipline. The pain of the whip can represent the severing of his childhood, almost like he is being ripped from a daydream.